Manipulates and deceits, the Harry Potter series
by Kaeim
Summary: A essay on Dumbledore and his manipulations, goes from book 1-7. First in a series of seven
1. Philosopher's stone

Manipulations and deceits; a look at Albus Dumbledore

**Manipulations and deceits; a look at Albus Dumbledore**

**The Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone**

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, recipitant of the Order of Merlin, First Class, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. But of course, we also know him as the masterful manipulator.

We can see evidence of this first of all in Philosopher's stone. We see no evidence of Albus Dumbledore being placed in charge of Harry after the deaths of James and Lily Potter, and the incarceration of Sirius Black. But why was Sirius incarcerated in the first place? We know that he was supposedly guilty of betraying Lily and James, but why then was there no trial? Or the use of truth serum? Dumbledore, being the Chief of the Wizengamot, could have checked to see if Sirius was in fact guilty. Surely the fact that everyone believed Sirius to be the Secret Keeper of the Potters would have raised some suspicions. It's just a bit too obvious for my liking. Surely they would have told Dumbledore about the decoy that they set up, why wouldn't have they?

We're also told during PoA that Sirius wanted to take Harry from Hagrid when he turned up at the ruins of the Potter house. But Hagrid, under direct orders from Dumbledore, refused to give Harry up to Sirius. But why? As Sirius was the godfather of Harry, he would've had complete rights to taking custody of Harry. Dumbledore wouldn't have had a limb to stand on had it gone to court over the custody of Harry. And yet, there was no court trial. Instead, we see an innocent man, deprived of a trial or a chance to explain himself, packed off to Azkaban for over thirteen years.

And the, for the next ten years, we see Harry Potter living in a broom cupboard, doing chores that no ten year old could be expected to do (cooking breakfast). We're not directly told of course whether Harry has or has not been abused in the past, but from what we know, there has been _some _elements of abuse, whether acknowledged or not by Harry. And of course, it's highly unlikely that Dumbledore didn't know about this abuse, we know that he did because of the letter sent to Harry, and I quote, "Cupboard under the stairs".

When Harry is introduced to the Magical world and is escorted around Diagon Alley, we're introduced to Hagrid. Hagrid is clearly a good person, but he's deadly committed to Dumbledore. While normally that wouldn't be a concern, but we're later shown in CoS that he was expelled because of a Slytherin. He is against Slytherin's and is clearly biased from them, stating that dark wizards come from Slytherin.

But why was Hagrid sent in the first place? We know that he wasn't made a teacher until third year, coincidently when Harry made his elective choices. So before third year, what was he, other than a gameskeeper? Was he really qualified to be sent to what was (arguably) the most important person to come to Hogwarts? Why was not a teacher sent? Or even Dumbledore himself? Surely Harry with his fame merited an official person from the Ministry or the school? And yet instead of any of that we see only Hagrid, a biased, anti-Slytherin, half-giant.

And even when Harry is ready to go to school, what is it that Hagrid has forgotten to tell Harry? Just where platform 9 ¾'s is! Not only that, but he's expected to go onto the train and the station alone! Well, let's just forget all about the Death Eaters who were "acquitted", let's forget that he's an 11 year old boy with no experience of the magical world, and let's just forget that there would be plenty of people with motives for kidnapping him, Death Eaters aside!

Of course, how convenient it is that there just happens to be a person more or less saying out loud in public amid the hordes of Muggles asking where Platform 9 ¾ is! How convenient for Harry that there just happens to be someone saying it out loud for him to hear.

Once they make it to Hogwarts, Harry and his new friend, Ron Weasley (who just happens to be indoctrinated with the belief that _all _Slytherin's are bad, and has repeatedly told Harry so) go to Hogwarts, across a lake and into Hogwarts itself. There, they are met with no less than the Head of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall. After telling the students about the Houses, putting a particular emphasis on the word, "Slytherin", they're all led into the Great Hall to get sorted.

One point that does bug me, however, is that does Harry truly belong in Gryffindor _or _Slytherin? If he was a Gryffindor, surely he would have shown the courage to speak out against his conditions (living in a cupboard), and if he was a Slytherin, he would've used cunning and tried to manipulate the situation. The way I see it, Harry's more suited to either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. In my opinion, Harry would've preferred Hufflepuff more, as they're more accepting, the members of the House don't have as many expectations placed on them, and they're loyal to a boot. Harry, deprived of friends in his youth would have eagerly loved Hufflepuff because the House would have loved him in return. Hufflepuff, friendly, loyal and kind. In short, everything that Harry would have longed for as a child.

And then we get to the lessons. Everything seems to go alright, Harry has problems like the rest of his year in lessons, but of course then we go onto Potions, taught by Snape, the "ex-Death Eater" who coincidently has a hatred for Potters. What kind of Headmaster would allow someone like him to teach Harry? He constantly put's down Harry, holds him in little liking. Yes, it's just what an abused boy needs, to be put down once again by a man who is immature, foolish and blind.

And then, we have Quirrel. Why couldn't, a man well known for his ability to read minds, tell that a Professor, having gone away (to Albania no less where Dumbledore knows for a fact that Voldemort fled to) came back suddenly changed. He started to stutter and he changed classes from Muggle-Studies to DADA. And of course, we have Snape who suspects Quirrel of being up to something. Is it so unlikely that he wouldn't have gone to Dumbledore with his suspicions? And would have it been so hard to find out what Quirrel was up to by asking the Portraits? And for that case, why didn't the Wards placed on Hogwarts stop Voldemort from entering the castle?

And what do we have next from the manipulations of Dumbledore? Well, lets take a look at his regard for Slytherins. The attack of the troll, what does Dumbledore say? "All students return to their common rooms immediately". Where is the troll? In the dungeons. Where's the Slytherin common rooms? In the dungeons. Now, is it just me or does Dumbledore not have a liking for Slytherins? Probably not, seeing as at the end of the year, he directly gives points to his little pet Gryffindors allowing them to win the House cup. Why on earth would he do it during the final feast of the year? He allows the Slytherin's to believe that they've won the House Cup, but just a minute after, he gives 170 points to Gryffindor, allowing them to win. Perhaps the points were deserved, but then why didn't he give them out before? I think I can hazard a guess at this point, he knew that Snape would award Slytherin more points allowing them to win, so, in order to thwart Snape of this, he gave them out, thereby crushing the hearts of the Slytherins who actually _worked _to get those points.

And now we get onto the Philosophers Stone. How long did Nicolas Flamel live for? Around six hundred years. So not once, in seven hundred years, had anyone made an attempt to steal the Philosopher's stone? So Flamel's defences on the Stone, defences that he had over seven hundred years to construct were nothing compared to the defences that Dumbledore made, that three first years managed to get past? What the hell is going on there?

And another point, if Nicolas was six hundred years old, how the hell did Dumbledore, only around 150 years old, help to make the Philosophers stone?? Unless Dumbledore went back in time to do it, thereby changing reality, it couldn't have been done!

And who the hell would trust Hagrid, known for his drunkenness, with the information about the first defence of the Philosopher's stone? I understand if it was Snape or McGonagall who had been told, but Hagrid? The very man who bought a dragon to bring up in a wooden house? It's insanity!

And so, in conclusion for the first book of the Philosopher's Stone, we have gone through the book briefly and picked out the important areas of Dumbledore's manipulations. And so I put it to you, my readers, what is Dumbledore really? A man of good intentions? Or a man willing to sacrifice the life of an innocent child and those of countless others (Sirius Black) for a simple prophecy? It just makes you wonder what other manipulations he indulged in before the Harry Potter years.


	2. Chamber of Secrets

**800 Manipulates and deceits; a look at Albus Dumbledore**

**The Chamber of Secrets**

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, recipitant of the Order of Merlin, First Class, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. But of course, we also know him as the masterful manipulator.

Well, where to start really? The beginning, most likely, when Harry's mail was being blocked. It was very odd, really, that Dumbledore was the person who set up the blood wards (seriously, wards can't create themselves) and yet, he didn't notice when a House Elf managed to stop letters coming to Harry. And that's another point in itself, how the hell are blood wards meant to stop enemies from getting him if a House Elf can get through? I mean, you could just order it to apparate Harry from Privet Drive to Malfoy Manor! It certainly didn't stop Harry escaping Privet Drive when the Weasley's took Harry from his home in a flying car. It certainly seems to damage the story of powerful Blood Wards. Now, some of you may say that its purpose that activates the blood wards, for example if someone wanted to harm Harry, the blood wards would stop them. Well, a House Elf certainly doesn't need to bother with those notions, does he?

Now, we come onto Lockhart. Probably the most incompetent character of the series, even surpassing Peter Pettigrew. How the hell did Dumbledore miss this?! For God's sake, where were the man's credentials? Muggles, although looked down upon wizards (for no reason), at least make sure to check people before they permit them to teach children. For all they knew, he could've been a paedophile. It's quite disgusting, really. And even when Lockhart begins to teach his classes, what does Dumbledore when he sees what they're about? Tests upon Lockhart's favourite kind of colour and his ambition? Scenes acted out from books that were at best fantasy? How is that meant to help the children who're taking OWLS and NEWTS? Is Lockhart's sexual preference on the OWL exam sheet? Is how Lockhart defeated the Wingy-Batty-Jumpy-Joo-Helicopter machine or whatever nonsense he comes up with in the NEWT exam?

Now, we go onto the matter of the flying car. Such an incident does not and should not go unpunished. The only thing that happened to Harry and Ron was that a letter was sent home to their relatives. So, for endangering their own lives, almost exposing the Wizarding World to the Muggle World, essentially stealing a car from the Weasley's who otherwise have lost one of their ways of getting home, they're going to have a letter sent home. For God's sake! Even with Harry's status, it demands at the very least a suspension from school! If the Ministry of Magic would send out a letter for an underage wizard for performing illegal magic while outside of school, then why the hell didn't they decide to do anything about it in this particular case? Not even questioning them about the event itself! A huge problem just emerged with Muggles everywhere seeing a flying car, causing for the mass memory-removal of were potentially hundreds of Muggles, and they don't even bother to talk to the people who caused it.

And as for the racism. Dumbledore is said to be a champion for Muggle rights, having defended them and caused for great progress in Muggle/Wizard relations. Is it so hard then that he cannot even make an announcement banning the use of the word "Mudblood"? The very thing he was said to try and eradicate, used in his own school without any kind of punishment? For God's sake, Malfoy even used the word in front of the whole school during the whole Mrs. Norris incident! What happened there? Nothing!

Of course, there is also the bullying. Dumbledore (as also seen to have done nothing in the fourth book) refuses to intervene when people become isolated and bullied by their peers. Unless of course it's all a test for the Boy-Who-Lived? The entire school mocking him and terrified of him, all because of a different tongue he used? God help the French then!

And just how could Dumbledore not know what the "Monster of Slytherin" was? It kills people, it petrifies people, it gets around places without being seen, gosh, I wonder what it could be(!) What animal exactly was Salazar Slytherin famous for? I forget, it hisses and it slithers. And as for not knowing where it was, well, let's just ignore the girl killed on the _second floor _50 years ago, let's just ignore the sign outside _the girls toilets on the second floor_, let's just ignore the cat _petrified and hanging outside the girls toilets on the second floor_! Nope, there's no clue whatsoever to where this Chamber of Secrets place is.

Poor old Hagrid, one of the most loyal people to Dumbledore ever, and yet he was sent off to Azkaban without a trial, remind you of anyone? The Supreme Mugwump, meant to be head of the Wizengamot? Aren't they meant to uphold justice and keep things fair? It's called a trial, you idiot wizards, welcome to the 20/21st century. It's also called Veritaserum. You have a truth potion that can force everyone to tell the truth, well, who needs it in a trial! Forget all the Death Eaters that were under the "Imperius spell". We don't need to test you, it was obvious that you were all innocent, even though you spent around 5 years or so serving your master, and were in his inner circle, yes, we're looking at you, Lucius Malfoy, why wouldn't we want someone under the Imperius inside Voldemort's inner circle?

According to JRK, Occlumency can stop the Truth Serum. Well, stop me for asking how many people know Occlumency when according to Dumbledore, Snape is simply the only person who can teach Harry, even though they both hate each other, Harry for a justified reason, Snape for a not so-justified reason. How wrong of me to suggest using legilimency by a group of independent commission of wizards to find out the truth about what really happened.

As for the Duelling Club, we're told that Flitwick was a champion at duelling, so why on earth wouldn't he be used to teach the kids duelling? Instead, they're sent Lockhart, an incompetent fool, and Snape, who hates every Gryffindor and most people who aren't in Slytherin House.

And then, we get the diary, a piece of soul belonging to Voldemort himself. Again, what kind of school is Dumbledore running that means that the wards cannot detect Dark Magic or Dark items? And when Voldemort possesses Ginny, shouldn't the wards go off, or at least the portraits inform Dumbledore of what really happened? Is he really that incompetent? Not according to the history books, when he defeated Grindlewald in a "famous duel".

And then we get to the part when Dumbledore and Harry sit down after defeating Tom Riddle. What does Dumbledore say when he congratulates Harry?

"You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber."

Was it any wonder that Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling as he said those words? The manipulations are working; Harry does see Dumbledore as a kindly grandfather. So, should we forget the fact that Harry was just bitten by a Basilisk? Shouldn't have he gone to the Hospital Wing, even if Fawkes' tears did heal him?

So, in conclusion. What has second year brought to us then, so far? Terrible DADA teachers, a "monster that no one knows what it could be", a dark item that wasn't detected by Dumbledore's wards and a boy whose life was shaped for the worst by a man who should've stepped down from power a long time ago. What I am curious about, really, is if Dumbledore would've put all of this down to good intentions wrapped in bad actions? If so, then remember this phrase.

"The Road to Hell is littered with Good Intentions"


End file.
